In 2022, some senior community development officers participated in two meetings of a colloquium. They decided to establish a structure to strengthen and sustain the practice of Community Development.
A Steering Committee was formed, and Terms of Reference were adopted.
The Steering Committee is committed to people’s participation in the journey ahead of it.
Communiques will be forwarded on a regular basis to people who are interested in strengthening and sustaining the practice of Community Development. It is hoped that these communiques will be widely distributed. Please let Carmel Daveson (Convenor, Steering Committee), know if you do NOT wish to receive these communiques at carmeldaveson@outlook.com
Where are we at?
Membership of the Steering Committee: Of the 9 places on the Steering Committee, 7 have been filled by: Helen Betts, Susan Allan, Fiona Caniglia, Morrie O’Connor, Bea Rogan, Peter Westoby and Carmel Daveson. People with diverse perspectives are being sought.
Circle of Friends: This is formed and you are invited to participate in the Circle of Friends, and any Task Groups which will be established from time to time. Contact person: Carmel Daveson carmeldaveson@outlook.com
The Formation of Task Groups: Communication and Participation Task Group. Initial members are Maggie Shambrook, Tina Lathouras, and Carmel Daveson. Your participation in this task group is welcomed. This group is currently putting a workplan together. Ideas are welcome.
Finance Task Group: The purpose is to seek funds to resource a ‘communication, listening and connecting’ process across the state. This may include workshops, forums, social media, admin support, room hire, the setting up of a web site, a shared management platform and a system to hold circle of friends’ data. Australia Earth Alliance has agreed to auspice any application for funds.
The Colloquium explored if there was a shared concern about (among other things):
(a) the current institutional recruitment, education & training (on the job) of community development practitioners;
(b) the lack of policy influence bringing a community development/ participatory approach into government programmes;
(c) the lack of clarity about how to speak to government with authority.
The brief for that Colloquium recognised that a number of senior community development workers have been concerned for some years now about a number of issues – such as the diminishing role that the Universities have been playing in the recruitment, education, training and support of community development practice and practitioners. There is no immediate sign the Universities will reverse this trend.
It is true that at the same time there has been pleasing growth of informal training, supervision opportunities and the growth of helpful resource material. The concern has been the sum of these informal opportunities, welcome as they are, do not meet the formal induction, education and training requirements that go for a vibrant future development of community development practice, this ironically, at a time when the opportunities both in traditional and new arenas of practice expand both at local and global levels.
There is an added concern that despite the networks of community development practitioners and active citizens there is work to be done within the policy field – where a community development could contribute to structural change through policy influence. As such there is a concern of where the institutional authority sits to speak in policy field to government or other sectors.
The setting up of a Bank Account to receive Donations or Grant Monies
In the tradition of Mutual Aid, while the steering group is seeking funds from donors, we would like to start with ourselves. As such, we ask people to consider donating some funds (all amounts welcome).
We are currently being auspiced by the Australian Earth Laws Alliance Fund.
Deposit into: BSB: 313 140 Account: 12103040
Please write "CDI + Your Name" as the reference. This is very important, so that AELA can track all donations. AELA has 'Deductible Gift Recipient' status (DGR), so by donating to AELA, donors can claim their donation amount as a tax deduction when doing their taxes at the end of the relevant financial year.
Thank you for your interest in establishing a structure to strengthen and sustain Community
Development. The Steering committee welcomes your participation in our journey ahead.
Contact Person: Carmel carmeldaveson@outlook.com 0408 728 952
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